COVID-19 latest: 57 new deaths as cases increase to 76 334

As of Tuesday 16 June, South Africa has 76 334 confirmed COVID-19 cases, an increase of 2 801 since the last report on Monday.

The department released an updated death toll of 1 625 after a further 57 people succumbed to the effects of the rapidly spreading virus.

By Youth Day 2020, 42 063 people have successfully recovered from the virus and returned negative COVID-19 tests.

Latest COVID-19 cases in South Africa:

The following confirmed COVID-19 cases have been detected in each province as of Tuesday 16 June:

Gauteng – 13 023 cases;
Western Cape – 45 357 cases;
KwaZulu-Natal – 4 048 cases;
Free State – 578 cases;
Eastern Cape – 11 039 cases;
Limpopo – 391 cases;
Mpumalanga – 343 cases;
North West – 1 281 cases;
Northern Cape – 211 cases; and
Unknown – 63 cases.

During a Youth Day address Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said said, to deal with the virus, it was no longer about what government says, but that it was about what each individual does to protect themselves and others.

“Behavioural change needs constant reinforcement and affirmation.

“It needs the entire buy-in of individuals, communities, societies, cultures and various social groupings,” he said.

On a day when South Africa marked the contributions of the youth of the past, young people were reminded that children and adolescents can also catch the coronavirus. Evidence suggests that they are less likely to have a bad case but severe cases and death can still happen in these age groups.

Mkhize and Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu have launched a new multi-sectoral ministerial advisory committee (MAC) on social behavioural change to expand the scope of the response to the pandemic.

“This MAC is actually inspired by you, our fellow South Africans,” Mkhize said.

“It was South Africans who stayed at home for five weeks, who sacrificed their places of worship, sacrificed their sport, sacrificed their favourite restaurant, sacrificed the Sunday surfs, sacrificed seeing family and friends, postponed weddings, avoided shisanyamas, and denied themselves the touch of another human.

“That collective discipline and cooperation is what allowed us to flatten the curve, push the peak out by a few months, save many lives and balance our resources.”